The instant application is related to xe2x80x9cMethod for Pre-Processing a Data Collection for Use by a Big-Endian Operating System,xe2x80x9d Hewlett-Packard Company Docket No. 10016179-1, and xe2x80x9cMethod for Transferring Computer Data from a Packed to an Unpacked Data Structure,xe2x80x9d Hewlett-Packard Company Docket No. 10015053-1, both of which were filed on the same day as the instant application.
The present invention relates generally to computers and more specifically to methods for reversing the order of the bits comprising a data structure.
In computer applications, it is sometimes necessary to reverse the order of the bits comprising a data structure. In the broad sense, a data structure may be any functional unit of data comprising at least one bit. Under this broad definition, examples include nibbles, bytes, words, bit fields, and more complex inter-related structures such as linked lists. Although methods for reversing the bits of a data structure are well known in the art, the methods are inefficient and slow. It is thus apparent that there is a need in the art for an improved method for reversing the bits in a data structure.
A method is provided for reversing the bits comprising a computer data structure. The invention may be implemented as program code stored on a computer-readable storage medium.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.